Analyst Matthew Ball recently sparked a significant discussion in the gaming community by suggesting that setting new, higher prices for AAA games could be a lifeline for the industry. He specifically mentioned that if Rockstar and Take-Two were to lead by pricing their games at $100, it could set a beneficial precedent. In response, a survey conducted among nearly 7,000 players revealed a surprising willingness to pay this amount for the entry-level edition of Grand Theft Auto 6. Over one-third of respondents indicated they would not hesitate to purchase the basic version of the new Rockstar sandbox title, despite Ubisoft's trend of pushing extended editions of their games.
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Ball's statement quickly went viral, igniting debates about the future pricing strategies of major game publishers. He argued that higher prices could help sustain the industry, with Rockstar and Take-Two potentially paving the way for other companies to follow suit.
In related news, Rockstar has announced that Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online will receive updates in 2025, aiming to bring the PC version in line with the PS5 and Xbox Series versions. While details are sparse, expectations are high for more than just graphical enhancements. There's speculation that the GTA+ subscription, currently exclusive to PS5 and Xbox Series users, might expand to PC gamers. Additionally, certain features exclusive to the console version of Grand Theft Auto Online, such as Hao's high-speed car modifications, may become available on PC, suggesting that extreme turbo-tuning could soon be accessible to a broader audience.